Santiago Castañeda has quickly worked his way into the U.S. Youth National Team picture and now the Florida-born midfielder will have his first senior opportunity this month.Castañeda was called into Mauricio Pochettino’s 25-player U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal series vs. Haiti. Currently applying his trade at Bundesliga side Paderborn, Castañeda has rapidly become a player that many USMNT fans have urged to see on the international level.After coming through the academy of USL side Tampa Bay Rowdies, Castañeda made the move to then-German third tier side Duisburg. Two goals and 33 appearances later, Castañeda switched Duisburg for second-tier club Paderborn, where he’s worked himself into a key player.The 21-year-old logged 68 appearances in the 2. Bundesliga, most recently helping Paderborn earn promotion to the Bundesliga last May. Castañeda has since remained a consistent starter in the top flight this campaign, scoring two goals in 10 appearances.A strong engine and positive attacking abilities has awarded Castañeda the opportunity to force his way into Pochettino’s mix for the 2030 World Cup cycle. Also, eligible to represent Colombia, Castañeda would officially be cap-tied for the USMNT with one appearance in the upcoming window.Pochettino is excited to see what Castañeda can bring to the squad this month, integrating him with a mix of youth and experience.“We’ve been keeping a close eye on him,” Pochettino said in a press conference Wednesday. “He’s a player with excellent physical attributes. He plays in the midfield and can handle both build-up play and attacking duties…The key now is to give him an opportunity and see how he integrates, to see the chemistry that develops.”Castañeda will have one final Bundesliga contest with Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday before kicking off what he hopes is a lengthy and successful USMNT career.